Alina MacAskill jig

A Pipe Jig by Dr John N MacAskill (1944-2003).
Alina MacAskill is the niece of the late Dr John, and they are both from the notable Berneray MacAskill family.
Alina has fairly recently been in the news due to her great efforts in carrying out the wishes of her late great uncle, Iain Archie MacAskill, “The Bard of Berneray”, to be buried on Berneray. Iain Archie had moved to Western Australia in 1925, with high hopes but died in poverty in 1934 and was buried in an unmarked grave in Perth’s Karrakatta cemetery. It was Dr John MacAskill who had traced the unmarked grave in 1983 and had a headstone erected.

http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1691190

Dr John Napier MacAskill was a well known piper and pipe teacher, who was born in Glasgow and raised on Berneray. He became a GP, and founded a practice (Tweeddale Medical Practice) in Fort William. His most well known tune is probably “Lexy MacAskill” composed in honour of his mother.
The tune here, dedicated to his niece, appeared in the John MacFadyen collection, and was mis-spelled as “Alena MacAskill”. This mis-spelling is probably more frequently encountered as a result.

Here is the jig with gracing:

X:1
T:Alina MacAskill
C:Dr John MacAskill
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:Edor
{g}edB {g}A{d}A{e}A|{g}Bd{G}d {gef}e3|
ae{A}e {g}edB|{g}d{e}d{G}d {gef}e3|
{g}de{A}e {g}edB|{g}d{e}d{G}d {g}G2{d}B|
{g}Gg{f}g {a}fed|{g}Bgd {gef}e3:|
|:{g}A2e {g}Aee|{g}egf {gef}e3|
ae{A}e {g}edB|{g}d{e}d{G}d {gef}e3|
{g}de{A}e {g}edB|{g}d{e}d{G}d {g}G2{d}B|
{g}Gg{f}g {a}fed|{g}Bgd {gef}e3:|
|:{g}A{e}A{d}A {gBd}B3|{g}d{e}d{G}d {gef}e3|
{gf}g3ae{A}e|{a}ged {gef}e3|
g{a}fg {a}fd{G}d|{g}edB {g}G2{d}B|
{g}Gg{f}g {a}fed|{g}Bgd {gef}e3:|
|:aeg {a}fd{G}d|{g}egf {gef}e3|
{Gdc}d2e {g}dBd|{g}Ggd {gef}e3|
[1aeg {a}fd{G}d|{g}ede {g}dB{G}B|
{g}Gg{f}g {a}fed|{g}Bgd {gef}e3:|
[2{g}d{e}d{G}d e{g}de|{g}dBd {g}G{d}B{G}B|
{g}Gg{f}g {a}fed|{g}Bgd {gef}e3|]

I forgot to add that Alina MacAskill now uses the name “Alina MacAskill Simpson” - this will be obvious if you read the linked article.

Possibly Alina’s MacAskill heritage is on her mother’s side.

I would like to comment about the above post. It is great to hear my late uncles tune still being played. He was indeed a very tallented man. The tune however was comosed in 1971 for his sister Alina MacAskill. I am his neice, daughter to his sister Alina MacAskill. I was named after my mother hence the Alina MacAskill Simpson. I just wanted to inform you of this as my Uncle never composed a tune for me.

Niece not neice

I stand corrected, Alina.

Given the other rumours concerning John’s tune for Lexie, I can only say that pipers are clearly good at telling stories.

These things do happen. I am glas I was able to help settle any doubts.

Alina

Here’s the Tannahill Weavers playing it (@2:10)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4F-c838mjo&t=2m10s

play video